Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-11-30
Evolution in Gambling.

Herald and PresbYter: A few years
ago there sprang up all over our land a
system of incipient gambling designated
by many names, such as charity drawings,
gift enterprises, prize packages, grab.
bags and host of others that were coun-
tenanced or permitted by many good
people because introduced to help some
good cause. One of the most pernicious
of these was the system introduced by
many business men of giving prizes to
customers. thereby ENGRAVING on law.
full business gift enterprise which is
illegitimate. This had the effect to in
crease patronage, by attracting those who
mistook the prizes as voluntarily given
without compensation. Competitors who
disapproved the plan were drawn into it
to save their trade, and it was not long
before the system hnd assumed stipend
Gus proportions, reaching out into the
towns and villages all over the country.
Some good men were led to introduce
these devices for drawing trade, thought
lessly, who, when the immortality of the
system was brought to their attention,
quickly gave them up. and so thousands
gaye it up; but the seed was sown in many
young people, that has developed q
gambling spirit. There has been general
protest among Christian people against
the most glazing of these schemes, and
decided public sentiment promoted sufh
cient to break up the practice in some
places. But. however, much damage has
been done IN the matter of corrupting the
young, and false idea Of business
methods has been developed. Boys edu-
Gated under such influences are poorly
fitted to become successful business men.
They are not satisfied to begin at the bot
tom and then 20 up by approved methods;
but want to make money too fast, and
are willing to make it in any way they
can. This has also greatly developed a
simply a respectable name for gambling
There are thousands of men who rush
into speculations in wheat, pork, stocks,
etc., buying and selling on margins, who
would not bet their money on cards. If
they win, the world applauds. The i'm
morality and danger involved are forgot
ten when the operators are successful. 1t
trust funds have been used and lost,
different estimate is taken of character,
and the finger of scorn is pointed at the
defaulter The development of this
gambling spirit is without parallel in the
business world, and there is no satisfac-
tory evidence of its abatement. During
| the past summer we have had several ex-
amples of the most corrupt and profigate
speculations, in which millions were
staked on the rise and fall of the market,
and the property and money of others
poured into the hopper of the gambling
mill to be absorbed by those who were
able to fix prices regardless OF values.
The result has been that thousands have
been impoverished and much suffering
entailed.
Another development of this gambling
| is the readiness with which many are
tries. We do not refer to the land Oooms,
where there are to be found natural causes
for increase of prices. Our attention has
been called frequently to advertisements
of cities in which alternate lots are given
away or sold for a nominal price upon
the pretense of inducing settlement, but
really to get money for recording deeds
| where there was no county organization.
About ten thousand of such lots were
sold in this city few years ago for 81
each, in Texas city that has never been
| founded. .4#
Those who are taken in by any of these
schemes afc responsible, and to that ex.
tent help to promote it TO the injury Of
society. The gambler is worse only be-
cause he does not conceal his purpose,
and has lost all sense of right and wrong;
but he is not SO dangerous to society. be-
cause he is an putcast, and therefore
stunned. Such one is feared because
he is dangerous, therefore can not entrap
our boys until they have learned the first
lessons in gambling through the prize
packages, the charity drawings, the lot
teries or the offices of spectators. IheV
take their first chances at such places.
They expect to win largely from small IN
vestments--t get something for nothing
They become interested in the drawing,
watch the reports and see the gifts dis
tributed. They try again and again, until
this habit becomes a passion, and the pas
sion leads to ruin. There is no safety
flor society while any of these schemes
are sustained by public sentiment: There
should be no. false distinction between
| gamblers. The same rules should be ap
piled to the promoters Of gift enterprises,
4 lotteries, stores where merchant prizes
are offered and gambling dens, and the
same penalties for violation OF law IN
fictsd. f@@. n 1G*Eg \ s#G.. n N &4ez~ Alb
y ssb Syrup of Figs .E
I Is Natures own true laxative. 1t i
the most easily taken. and the most Ct
|fective remedy known to Cleanse tne